A woman is set to marry after falling in love with the driver who crashed into her car while she was parked waiting for her husband to return.

Ranette Afonso, 42, will marry Marko Conte, 30, this October after they fell head over wheels in love and moved in together within two months of the fateful bump.

Ranette, from north London, who has a 21-year-old son and 18-year-old daughter with the husband from whom she is now divorced, said: 'I was waiting for my husband, who had popped into the bank, when I noticed a sporty Nissan Skyline trying to squeeze into a tiny space behind me.

Ranette Afonso, 42 (right), is set to marry Marko Conte, 30 (left), in October after they met thanks to a car accident in August 2013

Ranette (pictured left) was married at the time of the accident, but her and Marko (pictured right) began dating shortly after her marriage ended

'I felt a massive thud and I knew a car had crashed into me - I was fuming.

'When Marko stepped out I was angry with him for being so careless. The car is his pride and joy so we spent a few minutes arguing with each other about who was to blame.

'At the same time, I found him really attractive and as we swapped insurance and contact details - I could somehow tell the feeling was mutual.'

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Ranette's 20-year marriage was already coming to an end by the time Marko unexpectedly came into her life at the end of August 2013.

Ranette, a laywer, said: 'We had been together for a long time, but we had reached the end of our marriage. We both knew it.

'As I drove back home with my husband beside me I couldn't get Marko out of my mind. Five days after the incident I sent him an email asking how is bumper was and, before I knew it, we were texting each other regularly.

Marko's car suffered notable damage after crashing into Ranette's parked car back in August 2013

After the accident, the pair exchanged insurance and contact details and began to text regularly

'I soon discovered that we had so much in common and, as things were not going so well between my husband, I found myself drifting closer and closer towards Marko.'

Two days later Marko was surprised when Ranette sent him a text telling him she had suddenly split from her husband.

Marko, a car hire company owner, invited her to stay with him while she made arrangements for her new life.

He said: 'It was completely unexpected. After she arrived on my doorstep we had one of the best weekends of my life.

'There was so much passion between us - I knew we had a connection. We're both passionate people.'

Ranette eventually moved in with her sister but still saw Marko frequently on dates.

And they continued sending each other flirty texts using the contact numbers they had swapped for insurance purposes.

Lawyer Ranette Afonso, 42 (pictured) was married at the time of the accident, but had been growing apart from her first husband of 20 years

On the couple's third date, Marko (pictured left) surprised Ranette (pictured right) by asking her to marry him

On their third date, just two months after the smash, Marko surprised Ranette by asking her to marry him.

She said: 'We were having an incredible time in the nightclub and then - when I least expected it - Marko popped the big question and asked me to marry him.

'My initial response was 'did he actually say that?' I thought that he was trying to see my reaction.

'But when I discovered that it was a genuine proposal, I didn't think twice about saying "yes".

'Sometimes you just know when something feels right and that was definitely one of those moments.'

Wild ride: Ranette is pictured sitting in the very same car that Marko crashed, which underwent a green paint-job following the accident

The pair moved in together in October 2013 and Ranette's divorce from her ex-husband was finalised two months later.

She said: 'My close family want me to be happy so they have supported my decision to marry Marko.

'My friends thought I was crazy - particularly as it happened so fast - but now they understand.'

Marko said: 'Everything has happened so quick. It's been such a crazy ride. At first I thought it was going to be casual but I am glad that we're now engaged.

The happy pair, from Edmonton Green, north London, were engaged just two months after the car accident and are hoping to get married this October

'We have found something really special.'

Ranette said: 'I am so happy that Marko crashed in to me on that day.

'Both of our birthdays are in October so we're hoping that we can get married then.

'It will be the first time for me to finally meet Marko's family from Italy so it will definitely be an exciting occasion.'

He said: 'We haven't made any honeymoon plans just yet but we are planning to travel the world, from Italy to South Africa.'